Leading Existential Change in Higher Education: Mergers, Closures . . . .Ep 2 of 7

SPH Consulting: Mergers and Acquisitions in Higher Education

Here are the questions Dr. Ricardo Azziz addressed during this podcast episode.

1. You list 7 critical competencies for BSC. Where did they come from?

2. We talked about how you used case studies throughout the book in our first podcast. Let’s talk about the one you use here: Connecticut State Colleges and Universities. I remember reading a lot about this and it was a contentious process. Step us through the highlights and lowlights. Lessons learned: “Extraordinary courage is required to face continued challenges”. Put that into context for us and share how you saw that at CSCU.

3. Following up on that, let's talk a little about uncertainty and risk aversion in higher education What about major change in higher education? Step us through the major differences of M&A in higher education and other industries.

4. P. 81: “The degree of risk aversion in higher education is so high that it borders on the impossible.” If we accept that statement, I contend that some serious financial set of catastrophes are needed to move higher education toward consolidation in the form of M&A. Am I right or wrong?

5. Competency 2: All-inclusive Operation Envisioning Hope International Univ and Nebraska Christian College are the case study you used. This was not a proximate merger, but one of close mission alignment. I want to step you through each of the 4 lessons learned on p. 90 [Gary Stocker: leads through each. ]

6. Talk about operational envisioning as it related to higher education mergers.